Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH), a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), together with an interdisciplinary team of partners, have identified the fire-footed rope squirrel (Funisciurus pyrropus) as a likely natural reservoir of the monkeypox virus (MPXV). Their study was published today in the renowned scientific journal Nature. The discovery was based on the detailed investigation of an mpox outbreak among wild sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys) in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire. Scientists combined ecological, behavioral and molecular evidence to document, for the first time, the interspecies transmission of MPXV in the wild, from fire-footed rope squirrels to sooty mangabeys.

Zoonotic diseases — infections that can pass between animals and humans — are a growing global health challenge, particularly in regions where people live in close contact with wildlife. Understanding these interactions lies at the heart of the One Health approach. The Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH) and its partners are now launching their first unique One Health cohort initiative in and around Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire, as part of the One Health Exploratories. HIOH is a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI).

The Helmholtz Association is launching a nationwide biomedical engineering initiative to accelerate technology development and transfer activities. Led by its established Health Centers, “Helmholtz Biomedical Engineering” brings together cutting-edge infrastructure and expertise to collaboratively develop innovative solutions for continuous health monitoring, disease prevention, earlier detection and more personalized diagnostic and therapy. Building on regional academic strength and through fostering industry collaborations, this national initiative aims to excel Germany’s position as global hub for biomedical engineering and health technology innovations.